


To Court a Mage: A Jevil + Seam Fanfiction

by shoefaced



Series: Jevil + Seam Fanfictions by shoefaced (Chronological/SFW) [1]
Category: Deltarune (Video Game)
Genre: Eventual Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluffy Ending, Humor, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-09-18 02:31:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16986468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shoefaced/pseuds/shoefaced
Summary: A while after becoming friends, Jevil realizes he has developed romantic feelings for Seam. Finally, he decides to confess the only way he knows how: with a great-big, spectacular bang.





	1. A Feline Friend

**Author's Note:**

> This work is going to have three chapters: the first focusing on the budding of Jevil and Seam's friendship, the second on Jevil learning recognizing his romantic feelings for Seam via the advice of Rouxls Kaard, and the third on Jevil's plan to express those feelings to Seam. A huge thank you to white-noixe on tumblr for beta reading this for me! I hope you enjoy, but as always I am open to suggestions for improvement. Thank you!

In all of the Dark World, no entertainment venue was quite so celebrated as the great hall of Card Castle. The lofty chamber housed the acts of many distinguished performers, ranging from lithe, pique-turning ballerinas to nimble acrobats. Perhaps most of all, the great hall was renowned for two beloved performers: Jevil the fleet-footed imp jester and Seam, a dapper plush feline unmatched in the art of magic. When the two were on stage with each other, the choreography and synchronization were top-tier, and scores of Darkners would look on in wonder as the two leaped and bounded across the stage producing cascades of hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs, as well as vibrant pyrotechnics that burst into a myriad of colors--shades of emerald, periwinkle, crimson, and gold were fan favorites, of course. However, aside from during performances and rehearsals, Jevil and Seam rarely interacted aside from small talk here and there.

While Jevil was frequently praised by a myriad of Darkners from all regions for his highly passionate and lively feats on stage, he found it nearly impossible to maintain friendships with anyone in or outside of the court; everyone came to witness his acts, but no one ever stayed long after, as all of them seemed extremely quick to tire of the jester’s unusually overzealous personality and unconventional speaking patterns. Jevil was confused by this but aside from the intense boredom of having no one to talk to or play games with, he could usually shrug it off: usually. One day, the Lightners came to visit and decided to play with the members of the other suits. Jevil sat utterly dejected at the sidelines, wistfully gazing at the game taking place as he rested his chin on his clenched, gloved fists and flicked his tail restlessly. He perked up though upon realizing that not far from him, his stage partner Seam rested while perusing the pages of a book with his glossy button eyes.

A spark went off in Jevil’s mind as he realized, _Of course. Of course_! Who could possibly make a better potential friend than the one with whom he already spent the most time, rehearsing together for hours on end to produce magnificent spectacles for all Darkners to enjoy? The jester mentally kicked himself for not considering it sooner and then inched his way over to the purple mage, who was lost in the leaves of his book. A minute later, Seam noticed his pages were suddenly blanketed in shadow. He looked up to inspect for the source of this, but it didn’t take more than a second to discover it; Seam jumped and his fur stood on end in surprise when he looked up to find Jevil leaning down and peering at him from a distance of not six inches from his face. “Whatcha reading, reading?” the small Jester inquired, tilting his head as he glanced from Seam to the pages and back.

It took a moment for Seam to regain his composure, holding his furry paw to his own chest to makes sure he had a pulse; of course, he didn’t since his body was made entirely of cotton, which he soon remembered. He sighed heavily and looked back up at the imp to answer in a patient manner, “Hello there, Jevil! It’s just an old piece called A Short Treatise on the Game of Whist by a Lightner named...I believe it was Edmond Hoyle?”

“History, huh?” Jevil stated matter-of-factly while Seam confirmed the author’s name, “If you ask me, when it comes to cards it matters less what you say, say and more how you play, play! Uee-hee-hee!”

The corners of Seam’s mouth twitched upward slightly. “Well, Jevil, would you like to play?” He pulled out a miniature deck of playing cards from the pocket of his coat, “We could do two-player whist... if you find yourself up for the challenge, of course.” Jevil contemplated this prospect for a second. A sly grin worked its way onto the jester’s lips, and he took a seat in front of the purple feline. Staring Seam right in his orange button eyes, which were now shimmering in anticipation, Jevil leaned in and confidently replied:

“You’re on, on!”

Seam dealt 13 cards to Jevil and himself, and then flipped the top card of the remaining deck upwards. The trump suit for the game was hearts, and they began the tricks of the first stage. As they played, small conversations took place between bouts of intense concentration. During the occasional chitchat, Seam and Jevil began to realize they had quite a bit in common aside from performing together:

“So, Jevil. How long have you been playing cards?”

“Hmm...since as long, long as I can remember. But it’s been a hot, hot minute since I had someone to play with!”

“Is that so?” Seam asked, “Well then it sounds like you and I have a little more in common than being stage partners! No one ever plays cards me anymore after the time I bested the King of Diamonds in poker. Oh, he was furious! Thought he was going to have to hand over all of his gold.” Seam chuckled gently at the memory, then added, “Of course, I let him keep it since I was merely playing for the love of the sport. But no one has challenged me to another game of cards since then...”As they continued to battle for tricks, both of them discussed how they were also often left out of the Lightners’ games except for on rare occasions and how even outside the realm of card games, neither really had any friends.

“Say, Seam. Would you be my friend, friend?” Jevil asked after a pause, his voice slightly trembling in mild apprehension of being rejected. This suddenness of the blunt request surprised Seam at first, but soon he replied, “I’d be delighted to be your friend, Jevil. Would you be mine?”

“Uee-hee-hEE!” the jester responded ecstatically, “I’ll be your friend, friend to the end, end!”

It was down to the final trick of the game. Jevil and Seam were tied at 6 points, and each only had one card left. Seam played his final card face-up in between the two players: the King of Spades. Jevil looked at his card, and his heart was skipping as he glanced up to meet Seam’s gentle but expectant face. He placed his card down with a confident thump; it was the two of hearts, meaning he possessed the trump-suited card. Jevil had won the trick--and thus the game--by a single point. Seam stared at the cards in slight shock for a beat, but then his face lit up.

“Well, Jevil! It appears I have met my match at last. It has been an honor playing with you,” Seam smiled. After gathering the cards and returning them to the spot in his coat, Seam rose and offered to help Jevil stand. As the short jester took Seam’s hand and lept up, the purple cat spoke once more, “Say, Jevil. Would you like to accompany me on my evening walk? It looks like the Lightners are leaving for the day, and I wouldn’t mind the company of a friend.” Jevil closed his eyes and smiled cheerfully, unable to contain the beaming toothy grin that spread from one cheek to another.“Of course, of course, I’ll join you, Seam!” he said, his vibrant tone brimming with happiness at the idea.

* * *

Jevil and Seam leisurely strolled through the forest, enjoying the sights and sounds as they walked. The thick crowns of the trees formed a magenta veil overhead, and Jevil breathed in the earthy scent of nature that saturated the air. He looked up at Seam, who was doing the same with a pleasantly calm and contented expression on his face. Jevil started to observe how the fur on the purple cat’s cheeks bunched up as he smiled, and his fuzzy ears twitched curiously at the intermittent sounds of rustling leaves or the call of starwalker birds gliding nearby. _Wow_ , the jester realized, _my new friend sure is cute_! However, Jevil’s concentration on Seam promptly broke when he realized his new friend was now looking back at him with a concerned expression. The cat’s brows were furrowed in confusion, and he had stopped walking. Jevil suddenly became conscious of the fact that he had been staring at Seam for the last minute and that he was no longer walking, but rather floating two feet above the ground. “Is everything alright, Jevil?” Seam asked warily.

The jester could sense a hot blush creeping up through his neck and face until even the tips of his ears felt as if they were burning. He returned himself to the ground as quickly as possible and attempted to pull the sides of his hat over his ears to hide their flushed appearance before Seam could perceive it. Looking at the ground, Jevil muttered, “I’m sorry, Seam. You must think it’s--that I’m strange, strange...odd, odd.”

Seam contemplated this for a moment, then placed an assuring paw on Jevil’s shoulder and spoke clearly: “Well, Jevil. You are odd, but there’s something about that you don’t realize: that oddity is not a flaw. It is a strength. Your idiosyncrasies are what make you _you_ ,” Seam paused, the tufts above his button eyes furrowing into a more earnest expression as he looked deeply into the jester’s eyes, “And I’ll be damned if I allow my friend to go on thinking that his individuality is something to be ashamed of.”    

Jevil stared up at Seam, whose resolute appearance conveyed the magnitude of sincerity the mage expressed in his words. The jester’s lip quivered and his heart felt so full it could burst. Jevil couldn’t contain himself; he leaped to embrace Seam in a tight hug and wept into his soft, furry neck. Seam slightly jolted at the unexpected embrace; however, he promptly returned the affection, wrapping his arms lightly around the jester’s shoulders. It was a little bit of an awkward hug, but nonetheless heartfelt and impactful. Seam them pulled back and smiled before speaking:

“Now, let’s get back the castle, shall we?” he said. Jevil agreed, and as they traced their way back to the gates of Card Castle, the little jester thought to himself how lucky he was to have a friend like Seam. If this was how friendship felt, he never wanted it to end.


	2. Rouxls on Romance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jevil begins to develop new, strange feelings for his friend Seam, but he can't quite pinpoint what that feeling is: all he knows is that around the mage, he can't help himself from feeling giddy, warm, and drunk on delight. One day, the jester decides to talk to Rouxls Kaard about it to hopefully gain some more insight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I apologize taking so long to publish a new chapter and for extending the amount of chapters to three. This was originally going to be just a short bit at the beginning of the second chapter, but it ended up being longer than expected. I hope you enjoy it, and as always I'm open to and encourage feedback (especially in regards to characterization and dialogue)! Thank you for reading!

As the months flew by, the duo’s friendship blossomed into a tight-knit and unshakable bond. They brought out the best in each other: Seam supported Jevil as he learned to accept and confidently express his quirks with no inhibition, and Jevil proved to be the ideal challenger in all of Seam’s games, reinvigorating the mage’s love for his favorite previously-abandoned hobbies. Rehearsals and stage performances felt much more intimate than before, and this bolstered their chemistry on stage in a way that even further captivated the Darkners in every audience. Happiness, passion, and sincerity for one another--all were truly present in each performance now, and neither the jester nor the mage felt as if these emotions were merely another part of the act. Both Seam and Jevil came to see themselves as two sides of the same coin: very different in demeanor and personality, yet closely linked and highly similar when it came down to what was most important to each of them.  
  
But after a year came and went, Jevil began to feel an unusual new emotion toward his feline companion swelling within him. He had been acutely aware of it since the beginning when he realized on his first walk with Seam how adorable the purple mage’s smile was, but the feeling itself only arose on rare occasions and seemed too insignificant to acknowledge as anything more than another natural part of friendship. As time went on, however, Jevil found it increasingly difficult to ignore this growing sensation. Around Seam, his heartbeat thumped intensely, his cheeks and ears quickly became flushed, and his palms would even sweat to the point that the poor jester would have to remove his gloves, opting to fiddle with them anxiously instead. Jevil realized the sensation was similar to nervousness, but there was something that he didn’t wholly understand about it: why did it feel _pleasant_?  
  
Why did it cause him to feel deliciously drunk and make his head spin like an exhilarating carousel ride any time he was near his dear friend? Why would he figuratively--and sometimes even literally--be floating on air any time he daydreamed of lovingly holding Seam’s furry paws while speckling the mage’s soft, fluffy face with a million kisses? In fact, why did he keep daydreaming about doing so in the first place?! As far as the small imp knew, this emotion flourishing inside him was nowhere near in the same scope as friendship. However, he couldn’t quite place a finger on what it actually _was_.  
  
One afternoon, Seam and Jevil strolled through Card Castle together as they discussed their plans for the remainder of the day. “Oh, Jevil!” Seam exclaimed, an excited grin spreading across his face and a shiny gleam in his buttons, “I was passing by the Great Door earlier this morning and I overheard that a Lightner has chosen me for their activities today.” The jester perked up at this, halting his stride and quickly turning to Seam while mirroring his friend’s excitement as he replied, “That’s wonderful, wonderful! I’m so, so happy for you, Seam!”  
  
“Thank you, my dear Jevil!” the feline spoke in a cheerful tone, placing one of his soft paws on Jevil’s shoulder. But his expression soon shifted to a slight look of perplexity as he realized that his jester companion seemed a little shaken. “Are you sure you’ll be alright, Jevil?”

“...Oh, of course, of course! It’s nothing at all; I’m fit, fit as a fiddle!” Jevil hastily responded. Oh no... the jester mentally panicked; the simple touch on the shoulder by his feline companion was causing his cheeks to grow hotter with every fleeting second.  
  
“Your face looks a little flushed...”  
  
“uAA-HaA-HAa!!!! DON’T WORRY, SEAM. I’M PAWFEC--PERFECTLY FINE!” Jevil laughed with a frantic nervousness, his heart pounding so hard he feared it would burst out of his chest at any moment and his head spinning so fast it felt like he could feel the world revolving around him. Seam bent to his knees and placed his other paw on Jevil’s vacant shoulder, not aware his touch was the inciting incident for Jevil’s current state to begin with. The feline spoke softly, “Jevil, if you’re feeling ill then maybe you should take the day to rest. I’d be fine with carryi--”  
  
“NO NEED, NO NEED!” Jevil shouted, trying his damndest to both keep his tail from swishing wildly and himself from floating into the sky like a helium-packed balloon that some poor schmuck at a carnival accidentally let go of, “I JUST FEEL LIKE I’M GOING TO KISS-- _MISS_. MISS YOU.” Seam gazed at Jevil with a gentle expression of empathy. He replied:  
  
“I’ll miss you too, my friend. Don’t worry, I’ll see you again this evening! I promise.” With that, the feline mage wrapped his arms around Jevil, embracing him in a big, warm hug. At this point, Jevil felt like his soul had escaped his body. Nevertheless, he returned the hug with much delight, burying his face in the cat’s shoulder. Jevil’s cheeks and ears were practically steaming with blush, and he hoped that Seam couldn’t detect the heat of the jester’s face through his thick fur. In the distance, a piercing bell rang out, and Seam recognized this as his cue to prepare for the arrival of the Lightners. He told his companion goodbye one last time and briskly left to wait for his turn to participate in the games of the Lightbringers. Now that Seam had departed, Jevil couldn’t hold it in anymore: he exhaled what felt like the longest sigh imaginable and allowed his feet to leave the ground.  
  
As the jester twirled and turned in the air, he allowed himself to shut his eyes and giggle with delight at the memory of Seam’s embrace. He could still practically feel the soft, warm squeeze around him and hugged himself as if attempting to keep the sensation from vanishing. But soon, Jevil sensed prying eyes on his back; spinning to inspect for the source of this unease, he soon became aware of the fact that the entire incident had unfolded in front of the castle’s shop, and Rouxls Kaard was glancing wildly at him through the glass. As soon as Rouxls’ eyes met Jevil’s, though, the snowy-haired clerk turned away faster than the hand of a Slapjack champion and ducked under the counter to avoid suspicion. It was too late to hide: Jevil was already on his way through the double doors, hopping up on the counter to peer down at the anxious clerk, and addressing him plainly:

  
“Rouxls.”  
  
“...,” Rouxls was silent, still vainly pretending he was invisible to the jester.  
  
“I can see, see you, y’know.” At this point, Kaard resigned himself to the fact that he couldn’t merely wish Jevil away and abruptly stood while attempting to put on his best customer service attitude. He fibbed, “ _ **Jevil**_!!! What a pleasante surprise that thou shouldst graceth mine shop with thy presence!”  
  
“Kaard, Kaard,” Jevil shook his head, “For your fascination with worms, worms, you sure seem to enjoy being a fly, fly on the wall.”  
  
“ _ **NAY**_ , I wast merely...ensuring the welfare of mine patrons! A proper clerke always perpendeth the safety of any potential customer! Ne’er didst I perceive of thy fancy for the mage!” _Oops_. As soon as the words left Rouxls’ mouth, he knew it was too late: the cat was out of the bag.  
  
“What did you say, say?!” Jevil appeared perplexed at Rouxls’ admission, but a faint blush graced his cheeks at the mention of Seam. The clerk huffed, and confessed to what he had witnessed:  
  
“It seem’st that I have already let it slippeth so...In mine eyes, thou seemest to fancy Seam.” The jester stared blankly in response. His brows furrowed and he cocked his head as a prolonged, deafeningly-awkward silence took hold of both Darkners. The silence was promptly broken when Jevil piped up, “What does it mean that I ‘fancy, fancy’ Seam?” Kaard gaped in utter confusion and incredulity.  
  
“You know...thou art head over heels.”  
  
“...?”  
  
“Thou hast the hots for him? Fallen for him?! You’re in _love_.” That last phrase finally struck a chord with Jevil, and his eyes lit up briefly; however, he still harbored suspicions. Rouxls could perceive that Jevil finally understood his message but realized he also seemed hesitant to accept this idea. “Looketh at it this way,” the blue man said, “When thou art in the presence of Seam, how doth thou feelest?”  
  
“Well, nervous...but so happy, happy!”  
  
“And?”  
  
“My head spins, spins like a carousel. I can’t keep my feet on the ground, and my heart skips, skips. And when I see his smile...I feel like I would do anything, anything to make sure it never, ever fades,” Jevil’s face was blushing a deep periwinkle as he spoke, and the corners of his lips couldn’t resist the urge to twitch upward into a sheepish grin. Rouxls listened as patiently as possible and responded carefully, “Hm...In mine honest opinion, thou dost seem to surely be enamoured with the mage. Every sensation thou hast described points to being in love.”  
  
“Well, what should I do about it, it?” Kaard stood quietly for a second, struggling to accept the fact that he was being asked for relationship advice by an imp in a jester costume, let alone someone he knew only as an acquaintance. Plus, as much as he enjoyed the concept of romance, he wasn’t necessarily confident in his ability to play matchmaker.  
  
“Thou should’st probably trieth winning him over to share in thine affections. Mine instincts leadeth me to believe this is already the case, considering the amount of physical contacte,” Rouxls contemplated, “Still, how exactly doth one courteth a mage? Perhaps thou shouldest woo him with something ye hav’st in common?” Jevil mulled this over until a revelation struck him. _Of course_! What better way to appeal to Seam than a performance, complete with magic and entertainment? He yelled excitedly:  
  
“You’ve given me just, just the idea! Thank you, thank you, Rouxls!” Before Kaard could even lift a finger in response, Jevil was whizzing out the door to construct the perfectly choreographed plan.


	3. Leap of Faith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jevil finally constructs a plan to display his romantic love for Seam. After putting the choreography down on paper, he decides that rehearsing at night is the best bet to avoid suspicion: It wouldn't hurt to lose just a little bit of sleep, would it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you to all of my friends in the Discord server for beta reading this for me. I apologize that this took so long to write, and I hope it's satisfactory! Suggestions for improvement and comments are welcomed and encouraged, as always. Thank you so much for reading!

Jevil raced as quickly as he could down the halls of Card Castle and rode the elevator to the basement floor, which housed the dressing rooms and sleeping chambers of the resident court performers. He swung the door to his bedroom wide open and then slammed it behind him, too enthusiastic to care about being gentle or quiet. The jester then rushed to his desk and pulled a large sketchpad out of the drawer; he frequently used this to draft the choreography of his stage performances with Seam, but this time, Seam himself was going to be the only audience. Grabbing a pen and ink, he began sketching out each idea as it came. _It has to have stars, hearts, and fireworks_ , Jevil mused, drawing out various shapes and symbols as they appeared in his mind, _How about combining fireworks AND hearts? Like a cherry bomb?_

The jester continued brainstorming and putting all of his plans on paper until finally a full choreography was laid out on the pages in front of him. But he was still conflicted over one thing: when would he rehearse? It was rare that the two entertainers were separated because of the fact that they spent many hours a day practicing for castle performances together. In addition, their free time was often spent together walking through the forest or playing cards with one another. It seemed the only time Jevil would be capable of practicing without raising any suspicions was during the night, which he resolved to do: after all, losing a little bit of sleep wouldn’t hurt too much, would it?

Jevil closed the sketchpad and stuffed it back into the drawer, just in time to hear a gentle rapping on his bedroom door. Hopping to his feet, the jester skipped over to it and shook off his excitement before twisting the knob. He swung the door open and was instantly greeted by Seam’s tranquil smile, and the jester’s heart skipped at the sight of the handsome mage. “Good evening, Jevil!” Seam spoke.

“Hiya, Seamy, Seam!” the jester chirped with glee, “Did you have a nice time, time?”

“I did! Are you ready to go rehearse? I can tell you about it on the way,” the purple cat offered his arm to his friend, making the butterflies in Jevil’s stomach flutter and his face grow warm with delight. Trying to hide his nerves, Jevil smiled and interlinked his arm with Seam’s. The duo walked abreast to the great hall in preparation for rehearsal together.

* * *

In the dead of night, as Seam and the other Darkners were deep in slumber, Jevil exited his room with his sketchpad in hand and carefully shut the door behind him. The jester traversed the vast and echoing corridors, floating as to not make any noise. He wouldn’t consider himself to be frightened of the dark, but something about the quiet loneliness of the halls--which were usually bustling with activity--made him tremble with anxiety: the deafening silence was enough to drive anyone mad if left alone in it for long. Once the small imp reached the great hall, he went inside and lit a few of the lanterns before hopping up onto the stage to stretch and begin practicing. Magic hearts materialized at his command, and the jester somersaulted as they spun and produced unique patterns in the air. Jevil continued his gymnastics to the imaginary tempo in his mind: cartwheels and handsprings, teleportations and double-fronts abound.

However, while he was fully capable of performing these moves, it felt much more strenuous than usual: having to perform new magic patterns and acrobatics simultaneously was incredibly difficult, and he realized this was going to take more time than he thought. _I’m not giving up_ , he reassured himself, _Not until it’s just right!_ He ran through the choreography many more times, and it greatly improved with each run-through despite Jevil’s body growing wearier with each passing minute. By the last attempt, the jester was so fatigued he could barely keep his body upright. Sweat was running down his face and neck and his whole body felt overheated. After he landed the final move, Jevil huffed and gasped for air, both from exhaustion and exhilaration: at last, he had completely memorized the basic choreography! _Now just to do this every night until it’s perfected,_ he thought, suddenly feeling quite daunted.

The jester lugged himself through the halls and into his bedroom, barely mustering the energy to float on the way back. When he finally entered his sleeping quarters, the imp promptly threw the sketchbook at the end of the bed, collapsed onto the covers, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Over the span of two weeks, Jevil continued sneaking to the great hall to rehearse every night. Even as the court jester, he had difficulty juggling his nightly rehearsals with his routine practices with Seam. Not only were both rehearsals physically taxing, but the sleep deprivation was gradually beginning to have an effect on his ability to perform: his magic couldn’t keep up with the tempo as well, and neither could his body. It wasn’t long before Seam realized something was amiss and felt compelled to speak up. Before rehearsal one day, the mage observed Jevil as he prepared for practice. The jester’s face was wrought with sheer exhaustion: his eyes fluttered open and shut, and fine creases formed under his eyes.

“Hold on, Jevil,” the purple feline spoke, placing a firm paw on Jevil’s shoulder. The imp blushed slightly at the touch, but any ounce of nervousness was soon drowned out by the sheer exhaustion he felt.

“Yes, Seamy, Seamy~?” Jevil chirped, attempting to mask the tiredness in his voice to no avail.

“You look really tired. Are you sleeping alright?”

“Of course, of course, Seam! I’m sleeping as snug, snug as a bug in a rug, rug,” Jevil replied. He didn’t want to lie to Seam, but giving away the surprise was out of the question entirely. The purple mage squinted doubtfully and walked about the jester while taking mental notes. He lightly poked the imp’s arm, and Jevil almost toppled over before being caught by the mage at the last second.

“I can tell you’re exhausted, Jevil. Your balance is horrible,” the mage said, “I’m sorry, but I don’t think you should rehearse today. You’re going to end up injuring yourself if you try to perform any handsprings.”

“I’ll be fine, fine, Seaaaammmm,” Jevil whined. But as he said this, drowsiness took over and he fell limply against the mage with all of his weight. Seam jolted at this, his face contorting as he looked at the imp with an expression of shock and bewilderment.

“Jevil? Jevil. Jevil???” he spoke with an increasing level of concern in his voice. The feline kept patting Jevil’s arm until the jester’s eyes fluttered open slightly. Jevil groggily mustered a small ‘zzzzhmm?’ and snuggled against Seam before passing right back out. Seam continued to stare and shifted bashfully, his fluffy face and ears growing warmer than usual. He gently scooped up his sleeping friend, navigated his way back down to the basement floor, and opened the door to Jevil’s room. The mage noticed a sketchpad was strewn about on the bed, so he closed it and placed it on the desk without a second glance before tucking the jester into the sheets and leaving silently.

* * *

After a long rest, Jevil woke up in the middle of the night feeling rather disoriented. _Huh? Where am I?_ he pondered for a moment, but as soon as he recalled the events that transpired, his face turned a vivid shade of periwinkle. _Oh. MY. **GOD** , _ his mind raced, _Did Seam... **CARRY** me?! _ The jester covered his eyes as his emotions switched rapidly between embarrassment, worry, euphoria, and confusion. Soon, he realized his sketchbook had been moved from the bed to the desk, and Jevil went into a cold sweat. Of course, he trusted Seam to not go through it without permission, but that doesn’t change the fact that it was laying open on his bed earlier that day. The mage must have seen at least _something_ when he transferred it to the desk!

Despite this circumstance, Jevil swallowed his anxiety as best as he could and prepared to rehearse his plan as usual. If anything, the whole situation made it feel more urgent for him to perfect his choreography and ready himself to perform it in front of Seam. Now that he was more well-rested, the jester hurriedly exited his room and made his way to the elevator. But in his rush to rehearse, Jevil failed to notice the lantern light emanating from under the mage’s door.

Seam had been reading, but his concentration was broken at the faint sound of a door latch clicking in the hall. The cat’s ears perked up at the noise. Though he resisted the urge to investigate at first, curiosity soon got the best of him; so, he placed his book down and left the room. In the corridor, Seam caught a glimpse of a vague silhouette as it vanished around the corner of the hall.

“Jevil, is that you?” No response. _An intruder, perhaps?_ he thought. Seam prowled after the figure until it reached the elevator. He waited for a beat, then rode up after the silhouette and continued to follow, until finally, it disappeared through the doors of the great hall. Seam crept over to the doors and delicately pulled one open, careful not to alert whoever it was that was lurking through the castle so late: If it was an intruder, he would have to be ready to fight. In both of his paws, he conjured brilliant burning flames. He flicked his hands, dispersing the flames to all of the lanterns lining the walls of the expansive room.

“Eep!” Jevil yelped and jumped in surprise. The jester turned to face the source of the sudden illumination and froze when he discovered who it was. “Seam! What a surprise, surprise,” he chuckled nervously and twiddled his thumbs: whether this was due to the anxiety of being caught or happiness at seeing the object of his affections was unclear.

“Oh, Jevil, it’s you! You damn near scared me to death,” Seam sighed with relief before tilting his head in confusion, “But what are you doing here in the middle of the night?” Jevil stood quietly for a second while mulling over his options: try weaseling his way out of it--which would be impossible at this point--or deliver his performance now. The jester breathed in deeply and decided it was time to take the leap of faith.

“Actually, Seam, there’s something, something I want to show you,” Jevil shakily confessed with his eyes glued toward the ground. His head reeled. _Am I really doing this? What’s going to happen? What if I can’t do it? No, just stop thinking. I can do anything I set my mind to, and I’m doing this right now._ He brushed all of his thoughts to the side, pulled a chair front-and-center for Seam, and gestured politely for the mage to sit. Then, the imp hopped up onto the stage and looked out; the audience was only one person, but it felt more significant than any other audience he had ever performed for up to this point. He shook out his nerves, took a deep breath, and began.

Seam watched attentively as his beloved friend put on the most spectacular one-man performance he had ever witnessed. The jester performed oodles of somersaults, cartwheels, and handsprings while simultaneously sending out a host of fireworks and symbols in gorgeous circular and kaleidoscopic patterns that filled the entire hall. Some of the fireworks included the shapes of larger symbols and both court performers: a Jevil figure made out of clubs, a heart symbol made of smaller hearts, and finally Seam, made of diamonds. For the concluding part, Jevil summoned a large cherry bomb that exploded into spinning hearts, which circled the mage and then dissipated. The jester struck a final pose, panting and wearing the widest grin imaginable. Seam clapped enthusiastically and gave Jevil a standing ovation as the imp jumped off the stage and walked over to the feline. Between huffs for air, Jevil asked:

“So, what do you say, say to that, Seam?”

“It was superb!” Seam exclaimed, still clapping, “When will you perform it for the kings?”

“The...kings, kings?”

“Of course! You’re planning to perform that for the court, correct?” Jevil stood dumbfounded. He fell onto his knees and laid his entire body face-first on the floor and tried his best to only scream internally. Seam’s face furrowed as he stared at the jester carrying out this odd action before speaking:

“Jevil? What’s wrong?” Jevil gradually rose to his feet, and his tail swished nervously as he realized he was going to have to admit his feelings for Seam outright. The imp worked up his courage and looked Seam dead in the face, despite the growing heat in his own.

“That’s not, not what this is about,” he confessed, “I’m...um...I’m in love, love with you, Seam. I didn’t know what this feeling was, was at first, but all I knew was being around you made my head spin, spin, and my heart thump, thump, thump.” The jester conjured a new symbol in his hand: it was of a card, specifically the two of hearts. He finished speaking:

“I know it for sure now: you have stolen, stolen my heart, heart. And so I want, want to give it to you freely. What do you say, say?” With this, Jevil let the symbol dissipate and waited with his head down. He was anxious for a reply but did his best to patiently let Seam make his decision: it turns out he didn’t need to wait, though. The mage reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out what appeared to be a heart figurine made of carved amber.

“Actually, I have something for you too, Jevil. Here,” Seam blushed lightly as he handed the amber heart to the jester, “I have to admit, uh... I’ve also been thinking about confessing my feelings for you for quite...quite some time now. But I was worried it would make you uncomfortable. I want you to have my heart too, if you’re willing, of course. I apologize, it’s no match for all the work you’ve put in for me, but I hope it’s alright.” Jevil’s heart leaped for joy, and he didn’t hesitate in responding:

“Of course, of course!” The small jester couldn’t resist jumping into Seam’s arms to give him a tight squeeze, which Seam cheerfully returned. Jevil could feel his own face growing warmer and his body begin to float on the air, but this time he didn’t feel like he had to conceal it. They continued to hug for quite some time, and then Seam pulled away to gaze into his partner’s eyes.

“But Jevil,” the mage spoke.

“Yes, Seam, Seam?

“Please don’t ever sacrifice your health and sleep for me again. Now, let’s get back to bed, shall we?” Seam offered to carry Jevil, and the jester gladly took up the offer by leaping into the feline’s arms. And as they traced their way back to the basement floor, the little jester thought to himself how lucky he was to have someone in his life like Seam. If this was how being in love felt, he definitely never wanted it to end.


End file.
